Effluent structure



March 24, 1970 G. D. NEWTON, 512 3,501,918

EFFLUENT STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 13, 1967 INVENIOR George D Mu f/ on Sr M m dwlz ATTORNEYS March 24, 1970 g. D. NEWTON, sR

EFFLUENT STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed D60. 13, 1967 INVENTOR George J). Newzon, Sr:

BY I W 0 J ATTORNEYJ United States Patent 3,501,918 EFFLUENT STRUCTURE George D. Newton, Sr., 466 Christopher Drive, NW., Gainesville, Ga. 30501 Filed Dec. 13, 1967, Ser. No. 690,295 Int. Cl. E02b 7 /28, 8/06; E03b 5/00 US. Cl. 6117 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention relates to an eflluent structure for controlling the water level in a waste stabilization pond.

Waste stabilization ponds are used for the treatment of liquid sewerage. The water oxidizes and decomposes the organic waste. The pond should be shallow so that light can penetrate fully into the pond and maintain the photo-synthetic activity of the algae. Accordingly, it is preferred that the water level be low in wintertime and high in summertime. The clarified water is then drained either into another treatment pond or into local streams or rivers. Also, the drainage should take place from as near one end of the pond opposite from the influent line.

Irrigation gates such as disclosed by Blackmore, No. 2,415,332, or Broussard, No. 3,264,829, are well known. However, these lack the advantage of being locata'ble in the center of a pond, and are relatively diflicult to adjust in order to keep the water level at a desired height.

The objects of this invention are to produce an efiluent structure which has a water gate which can be located near one end of a waste stabilization pond, which is easily accessible, and which can be adjusted to control the water level in the pond. Another object is to produce an efiluent structure which can be prefabricated, easily installed and maintained.

In general, these objects are obtained by using a hollow column having a vertically elongated opening. A gate plate is slidably mounted over this opening. A weir is formed in the plate so that when the plate is raised or lowered, the position of the weir is changed. The Water in the pond flows through the weir into the column and is drained from the column. The structure can be inexpensively prefabricated and easily installed in a pond. It can be connected to the shore by a walkway so that the structure is accessible at any time.

The means by which the objects of the invention are obtained are described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of the efliluent structure partially cut away;

FIGURE 2 is a front view of the structure partially cut away;

FIGURE 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2; and

FIGURE 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of FIGURE 2.

The eflluent structure is composed of a column 10 which, for purposes of illustration, is a rectangular metal box. This column has a prefabricated bottom 12, or alternatively, can be set upon a concrete base on the bottom of a pond. Above bottom 12 is a drain pipe 14.

A vertically elongated opening 16 is formed in the column, this opening terminating short of the top and bottom edges of the column. Mounted along the edges of opening 16 are a pair of Z-shaped guide bars 18 secured to the column by bolts 20. Slidably held by guide bars 18 is a gate plate 30. Tubular gaskets 32 between the gate plate and the column 10 form a watertight seal for the guide plate.

Plate 30 has an opening forming a notch weir 34 which is covered by a gate opening baffle 36 secured to the gate plate by rivets 38.

A lift bar 40 having a handle 42 is attached to the plate 30 for manually lifting and lowering the latter. This lift bar is slidably held in a bracket 44 attached to the top edge of the column and holding a stop bolt 46. Notches 48 in an edge of lift bar 40 can be selectively set on stop bolt 46 in order to adjustably position the height of the plate 30.

Attached to the top edge of column 10 is a hook gauge 50.

The column 10 may have an open top covered by a grate 60 so that the contents of the column can be observed.

Fastened to the front of the column is an overflow baflle 70 so that the top portion of the opening 16 is covered and protected from th entry of debris.

In operation, the desired water depth of the pond is first determined and then the gate plate 30 either moved up or down until the weir 34 is at the desired water level. Water then pours through the weir, and under extreme conditions through the overflow passage at the top of the opening 16 and into the column and out through the drain pipe 14. The water level in the pond can thus be accurately controlled.

The accurate control of water level is particularly desirable when high purification is required which necessitates the use of an upper pond, a lower pond, and an intermediate pond. Chlorination of the water takes place in the intermediate pond. The gate of this invention can be lowered or raised according to any increments as set by the slots 48. For example, in the autumn when it is best to lower the water level for winter operation, the weir is lowered two inches per day until the minimum depth is reached and thus gives a definite measurable flow through the weir. This enables the chlorinator in the intermediate pond to be set for the desired degree of chlorinization. After the pond is down to the minimum depth, the weir is raised to the normal operating depth, thus cutting off the eifiuent and permitting the chlorinator to be stopped. The capacity of the intermediate pond is such that no effluent can be expected for a long period of time, this depending upon the amount of influent to the upper pond. Thus the chlorinated water flowing into the lower pond can be stabilized before it is permitted to be discharged through another similar efiluent structure into the surrounding natural drainage system.

Having now described the means by which the objects of the invention are obtained.

I claim:

1. An efiluent structure comprising a hollow vertical column having a closed bottom, an elongated vertical opening in said column, a gate plate slidably mounted over said opening weir means in said plate and movable with said plate to various heights above said bottom for the entry of liquid into said column, and liquid drainage means adjacent said bottom for the drainage of liquid from within said column.

2. A structure as in claim 1, said plate having a lower end movable below said opening for leaving a liquid overflow passageway through said opening above the upper edge of said plate.

3. A structure as in claim 2, further comprising gate opening baflie means joined to said plate for covering said means Weir.

4. A structure as in claim 3, further comprising overflow bafile means joined to said column for covering the upper end of said opening.

5. A structure as in claim 4, further comprising lift bar means secured to said plate and extending above said column for adjusting the position of said plate.

6. A structure as in claim 5, said Weir means comprising a 90 notch weir.

7. A structure as in claim 6, further comprising guide bar means secured to said column for guiding the movement f0 said plate, and gasket means between said plate and said guide bar means for forming a liquid stop in the joint between said plate and said guide bar means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 234,670 11/1880 Hall 137577 1,352,929 9/1920 Tucker 6l28 2,979,082 4/1961 Neves 6112 X 10 JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

